The ability to discern between different colors is a gift most of us with normal vision take for granted. However, not everyone has been given this gift, and for some the task of distinguishing different colors is extremely difficult. These colorblind individuals face potential troubles everyday, be it when they try to color-coordinate their outfit, look at a stop light, or attempt to hang up Christmas lights. However, having a portable system available that will help identify colors could greatly aid color-deficient individuals.

 

With that, we envision three key capabilities of such a system. First, the system would label portions of the image with color names, providing a text-based identification of the image. Second, it would increase contrast between indistinguishable colors, essentially separating the spectrum to allow easier classification of those colors. Finally, the system would shift the colors in the image just enough so that even a colorblind individual could correctly identify them.

 

With that, feel free to read about the Color Contraster , the Color Corrector , and the Color Labeler , the triad that is C 3

 

 

Our Motivation

 

The driving force behind this project was to learn more about colorblindness for the sake of our friend. Despite how long we've known him for, it remains amazing to see the colors that look indistinguishable to him. For example, he might call a really bright lime green “brown.” Color naming errors play into every aspect of his life. One time, he was packing to go to the airport; as he was putting the bags into the trunk of the car, he turned to his brother and asked him to pass the green bag. His brother looked around in confusion, since he saw only a blue and gray bag. We often don't realize how dependent on color we are in our daily activities, especially when it comes to communication. Though no one in our group can truly understand how it feels to see the world through our friend's eyes, we understand the troubles he faces on a daily basis, and sincerely hope that our efforts will make his life just a little easier.